"The most exciting two minutes in sports®."
This sentence has been the cornerstone of the Kentucky Derby® for nearly 150 years. This event brings thousands of spectators from around the world to the heart of Kentucky on the first Saturday in May.
The pageantry surrounding the Derby has continued to grow around the world beyond that of the casual horse racing fan. Big, floral hats and searsucker suits are dusted off and flaunted at Derby parties and bars everywhere. No other event that lasts for such a short time, generates the buzz and anticipation quite like the Kentucky Derby. And the only thing more synonymous with Kentucky outside of the Derby is, of course, bourbon. And in true Derby fashion, bourbon is celebrated in all it’s glory with the Derby Day drink of choice, The Mint Julep.
Bringing the two together has been a time-honored tradition as old as the Derby itself, so it’s fitting that the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby would be none other than Woodford Reserve. Celebrating their 25th year as the “Official Bourbon” and now being the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve has become synonymous with the race and of course, The Mint Julep! With 88% of consumers consuming alcohol when celebrating the Derby* and The Mint Julep seeing it’s highest search interest of the year during the week leading up to the race,** Woodford Reserve celebrates its place as the go-to bourbon of choice for Derby Day. Read on to learn two different ways you can serve Woodford Reserve to your guests this year.
Rooted in the heart of horse country in Woodford County, Kentucky, sits the picturesque Woodford Reserve distillery. On an afternoon drive through the rolling hills and horse stables on the way to Woodford Reserve, you can almost picture the frosted julep cup filled with crushed ice, delicious bourbon and mint that rests in the hands of Derby lovers around the world. The perfect balance and full flavor of Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon is never more on display than it is in The Mint Julep. Over 100,000 mint juleps are sold over the course of the weekend at Churchill Downs alone, with millions more hoisted in bars and Derby parties everywhere. Composed of four simple ingredients (Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint, simple syrup, and crushed ice) this cocktail has a tradition that has become as celebrated as the Kentucky Derby itself.
As with most classic cocktails, The Mint Julep lends itself to a wide range of variations and seasonal riffs. Try including a blackberry compote or regional fruit jam with the muddled mint to give it a true Spring vibe! And honey is a beautiful sugar substitute to add a further layer of complexity.
As the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve has its own official cocktail to be celebrated on Derby Day, or any summertime gathering: The Woodford Spire. Named after the iconic “Twin Spires” that greet guests to Churchill Downs, this is a true Southern sipper.
This cocktail becomes a great welcome drink to any Derby party by simply multiplying the ingredient measurements by the number of guests and making it into a delicious and easy-to-serve batched punch! And like The Mint Julep, is open to a wide range of seasonal variations.
Cheers to a tradition that has become as cherished as bourbon itself. While the "Run for the Roses®" might only last two minutes, the memories and pageantry will last a lifetime!
SOURCES:
* Brown-Forman Occasion Survey, 2018
** Google Trends
CRAFTED CAREFULLY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
WOODFORD RESERVE KENTUCKY STRAIGHT WHISKEY 43.2%-45.2% ALC. BY VOL. THE WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY, VERSAILLES, KY.
WOODFORD RESERVE is a registered trademark. ©2021 Brown-Forman. All rights reserved. Please do not share or forward this content to anyone under the legal drinking age.
Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and the “Twin Spires design” are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated.